PICTURES: Car crash destroys Doncaster couple’s home

The bungalow on Red House Lane, owned by St Leger Homes, which was destroyed when a car ploughed in to the living room in the early hours of Sunday November 29.

Published:06:00Updated:10:46Wednesday 09 December 2015

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This is the scene of devastation after a car smashed through the window of an elderly couple’s home and landed in their living room.

The bungalow, on Red House Lane, Doncaster, was completely trashed and the 93 and 89-year-old tenants lost everything – including Christmas presents for their great-grandchildren and their hearing aids.

The bungalow on Red House Lane, owned by St Leger Homes, which was destroyed when a car ploughed in to the living room in the early hours of Sunday November 29.

Robert and Agnes Brown’s daughter, Rennie, said it is a miracle neither of her parents were injured or killed in the smash, which occurred at 6am on November 29, when they were both asleep.

She said: “My mum always gets up in a morning around the time it happened and sits of the sofa with a cup of tea. The only reason she didn’t that day was because she wasn’t feeling very well.

“If it wasn’t for that she would have been sat there and would have been killed. It’s a miracle they are okay.”

She added: “There was a male driver and a female passenger. He smashed straight through the window. The house has been destroyed.

The bungalow on Red House Lane, owned by St Leger Homes, which was destroyed when a car ploughed in to the living room in the early hours of Sunday November 29.

“Both my parents were in bed at the time, they were woken up by it.

“They didn’t know what was happening. My dad opened the lounge door and shouted out to see if anybody had been hurt when he saw what had happened. My mum was traumatised.

“They managed to climb out of the back window of the car and ran away. The female later came back when she saw the police.”

Rennie said her parents have lost everything, including Christmas presents for their four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Agnes and Robert Brown, have had to be rehomed after their bungalow was destroyed by a car. Picture: Marie Caley NSST Brown MC 2

She said: “It’s terrible, absolutely terrible. They’ve lost everything. I had taken mum out two days earlier to buy Christmas presents, but they are all gone now. The only thing salvageable was their bed.

“They are both nearly deaf, but they have even lost their hearing aids.

“Myself and my brother have been trying to sort through all the mess that’s been left behind, but you can’t even distinguish what anything is.”

The family have been told the bungalow, which is owned by St Leger Homes, will be re-built – but it won’t be ready until after February.

In the meantime, the great-grandparents have been moved into a new flat in Bentley, but this has only caused them further distress.

“They were moved in to this new flat, but there was nothing there. There were no carpets, there was just concrete on the floor,” said Rennie.

“There were just some kitchen units, there was no cooker and there wasn’t even heating. I had to go out and buy them a couple of chairs just so they could sit down. I couldn’t watch them be cold so I took them to my house in York for a few days. I was very angry. The council haven’t helped with anything.

“We have been told that the reason they were moved there is because they both needed a wet room, and this flat does have the biggest wet room I’ve ever seen, but it’s still not okay.”

Rennie and her five brothers have rallied round to get their parents everything they need, but it has been difficult as only one of them lives locally.

“One of my brothers lives in Armthorpe, but one has had to come from Scotland and another from Derby. It’s been very hard trying to get everything together for them, especially this close to Christmas.

“My parents just want to go home, but they can’t because it’s not safe. My dad won’t leave the flat because he doesn’t know where he is. They still just can’t believe what’s happened, they are distraught. It’s so sad.”

Susan Jordan, Chief Executive of St Leger Homes, said: “Given the unusual and urgent nature of the situation, our priority was to source comparable accommodation for our tenants whilst essential repair work is undertaken on the damaged property.

“After carefully reviewing requirements and providing options it was agreed, with the tenants, that the new build property in Bentley was the most appropriate alternative accommodation to suit their needs. However now that we are aware that there are some concerns about the facilities we are continuing our discussions to see how we can help them further during this difficult time.”

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said: “Officers were called to reports of a collision in Red House Lane, Adwick-le-Street at about 4.25am on Sunday 29 November.

“One car, a red Skoda Fabia, was involved in the collision, which resulted in damage to the front of a bungalow in Red House Lane.

“No one was injured in the incident and the vehicle was recovered from the front of the house at about 10.50am later that morning.

“A 22-year-old man from Doncaster was arrested in connection with the incident but has since been released.”

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